Loading Screens (Skyrim)
Loading screens appear when a new area is loaded. Along with an interactive 3D model related to the area, a message is displayed that can often be of help, especially to new players. Depending on how long the game takes to load, multiple messages may be displayed, all of which are connected via keywords. Some messages only appear in certain locations, and some are more likely to appear than others. If no location is specified, the message can appear anywhere. The 3D model is often related to the text. On the Xbox 360, the loading screen sometimes displays a message with information about Kinect. Lore messages Races *Argonians are the reptilian natives of the province of Black Marsh. *Bretons are natives of High Rock. It is home to the oldest known structure in all of Tamriel, the Adamantine Tower, also known as Direnni Tower. *Dark elves, also known as Dunmer, are natives of Morrowind - a land many consider alien and inhospitable. *At the center of the Dunmer province of Morrowind lies the Red Mountain, the largest volcano in all of Tamriel. *High elves, also known as Altmer, are natives of Summerset Isle. It is an ancient land shrouded in mystery. *Imperials are natives of Cyrodiil, the cosmopolitan heartland of the Empire. *Khajiit are a feline race native to Elsweyr. It is infamous for producing Moon Sugar, which can be refined into Skooma. *Skyrim is home to the Nords, a fierce, hardy people that value honor and prowess in battle. *Orcs, also known as Orsimer, are natives of Orsinium, a small mountain kingdom between Hammerfell and Skyrim. It has been sacked and rebuilt many times. *Redguards are natives of Hammerfell. Its cities hug the edges of the great Alik'r Desert. *"Tradition has it that the Nords came to Tamriel from the continent of Atmora in ancient days."—Unknown, Pocket Guide to the Empire *Wood Elves, also known as Bosmer, are natives of Valenwood. This jungle nation is home to giant, migratory trees that house their cities. General lore *"The best techniques are passed on by the survivors." -- Gaiden Shinji, 1E 490. *"Out of this time also rose one of the most legendary of all Tamrielic figures, Ysgramor, from whom all Nordic kings to this day are descended."—Unknown, Pocket Guide to the Empire *"Skyrim, also known as the Old Kingdom or the Fatherland, was the first region of Tamriel settled by humans... "—Unknown, Provinces of Tamriel *Tiber Septim brought peace to Tamriel in 2E 896, by conquering all of the known world. Thus began the Third Era. *The War of the Red Diamond began in 3E 121 when Uriel III captured the throne with his mother, Queen Potema. It ended in 3E 127 with their defeat at the Siege of Solitude. *Pelagius III, also known as Pelagius the Mad, was Jarl of Solitude before ascending to the throne of the Emperor in 3E 145. *In 3E 389 Emperor Uriel VII was imprisoned by his Imperial Battlemage, Jagar Tharn, who then impersonated him for years. *The Fourth Era began 200 years ago when Martin Septim sacrificed himself to save the world from the Oblivion Crisis. *And the Scrolls have foretold, of black wings in the cold, That when brothers wage war come unfurled! Alduin, Bane of Kings, ancient shadow unbound, With a hunger to swallow the world! - Song of the Dragonborn. *Legend holds that the highest ranking Dragon Priests were granted magical masks - strange artifacts that defy the laws of time, and grant their wearers powerful enchantments. *The highest mountain in all of Tamriel is Skyrim's Throat of the World. The reclusive Greybeards live near the top, in the ancient monastery of High Hrothgar. *The Greybeards of High Hrothgar follow the teachings of Jurgen Windcaller, who believed the power of the Voice was a means of attaining enlightenment. *There are nine Holds in Skyrim: Eastmarch, Falkreath, Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, the Pale, the Reach, the Rift, Whiterun, and Winterhold. *Each of the nine Holds is governed by a Jarl. The Jarls are largely independent, but they swear fealty to Skyrim's High King. *When the High King dies, the Jarls of Skyrim convene a Moot to elect a new High King. *The most famous hero of Skyrim is Tiber Septim, who conquered all of Tamriel and founded the Septim dynasty of emperors. *"Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear." - chant from the Dark Brotherhood's Black Sacrament. *Nord belief holds that the honored dead live forever in Sovngarde. Current events *Skyrim is engaged in a bloody civil conflict between the rebel Stormcloaks and soldiers of the Imperial Legion. *Agents of the high elven Aldmeri Dominion are known as Thalmor. They maintain an embassy in Skyrim, and have been known to secretly capture and imprison any Nords who question their doctrines or beliefs. *When a dragon uses a breath attack like fire or frost, it is speaking in an ancient and powerful language. A battle between two dragons is actually a deadly verbal debate. *Skyrim is in turmoil because the Stormcloaks believe their Nord way of life is at risk, while the Imperials believe Skyrim is a part of the Empire, and must follow its laws and customs. *Skyrim legend tells of a hero known as the Dragonborn, a warrior with the body of a mortal and soul of a dragon, whose destiny it is to destroy the evil dragon Alduin. *"Maw unleashing razor snow, Of dragons from the blue brought down, Births the walking winter's woe, The High King in his Jagged Crown." - Ancient Nord Verse *The High King of Skyrim, Torygg, was recently killed by Ulfric Stormcloak, who used the ancient power of the Thu'um to nearly shout Torygg to pieces. *Although they later became the dedicated protectors of the Emperor of Tamriel, the Blades began their existence as renowned dragonslayers. *The Blades have long since disbanded, and the organization's few remaining members have gone into hiding. The Emperor is now protected by a special security force - the Penitus Oculatus. *Many of Skyrim's Nords harbor a bitter resentment of all elvenkind, who they've battled with throughout history. The Great War may be over, but its horrors are still fresh in the minds of the conflict's survivors... *Only by signing the peace treaty known as the White-Gold Concordat was the Empire able to survive the onslaught of the high elven Aldmeri Dominion, and thus end the Great War. *The great statue of Irkngthand is the only known visual representation of a Snow Elf, before centuries of subterranean slavery twisted the race into the vile Falmer. *The Labyrinth for which Labyrinthian is known was built by Archmage Shalidor in the First Era, though the ruins themselves are much older. *Trading caravans sometimes pass through the ruins of Labyrinthian, but usually prefer safer, longer routes. Deity messages *Akatosh is the god of time and the chief deity of the Nine Divines. He is depicted as a dragon, and chose that form to battle Mehrunes Dagon in the Oblivion Crisis. *Arkay is the god of burials and funeral rites. His priests root out undead and necromancy wherever it may be found. Every Skyrim city has a Hall of the Dead dedicated to him. *Dibella is the goddess of beauty. She has a temple in Markarth that is devoted to women. *Julianos is the god of wisdom and logic. Usually associated with magic, he is often revered by wizards. He has a shrine in the Temple of the Divines in Solitude. *Kynareth is the goddess of the air, wind and sky. She has a temple in Whiterun. *Mara is the goddess of love and compassion. She has a temple in Riften. *Stendarr is the god of righteous rule by might and merciful forbearance. He has a shrine in the Temple of the Divines in Solitude. *Talos is the hero-god of mankind. His worship is currently banned by the Empire, but that hasn't stopped the Nords of Skyrim from revering him. *Zenithar is the god of work and commerce. He has a shrine in the Temple of the Divines in Solitude. Daedric messages *Daedric Princes are god-like beings that inhabit the plane of Oblivion. Most are considered evil, forcing their worshippers to build their shrines far from civilized places. *"Questing heroes of all stripes seek after the fabled Daedric artifacts for their potent combat and magical benefits."—Haderus of Gottlesfont, from Modern Heretics *The artifact Volendrung, also known as the Hammer of Might, was forged by the ancient Dwemer in an age long since forgotten. *Boethiah, Molag Bal and Mehrunes Dagon is best known of the "Three Brothers of the House of Destruction". *Azura is the daedric prince of dusk and dawn, and one of the few not considered to be inherently evil. *Boethiah is the daedric prince of deceit, conspiracy, and secret plots of murder. Many dark elves consider him to be their god-ancestor. *Clavicus Vile is the daedric prince of power. He is fond of enticing mortals with tempting pacts... which they later come to regret. *Hermaeus Mora is the daedric prince of fate, knowledge and memory. In his rare dealings with mortals, he often chooses to appear as a grotesque mass of tentacles. *The daedric prince Hircine is also known as the Huntsman of the Princes, and the Father of Manbeasts. He can call upon the Wild Hunt to punish those who defy him. *Malacath is the daedric prince of curses and the spurned. Many orcs worship him as their god-king. *Mehrunes Dagon is the daedric prince of destruction, revolution and ambition. He caused the Oblivion Crisis when he attempted to enter Tamriel in his true, and terrible, form. *Mephala is the daedric prince of lies, secrets and plots... and thoroughly enjoys meddling in the affairs of mortals. *Meridia despises undead in any form, and is one of the few daedric princes not considered to be wholly evil. *Namira is the daedric prince of darkness and revulsion, and is frequently associated with disease, spiders, insects, slugs and other repulsive creatures. *Nocturnal is the daedric mistress of stealth and shadow, and a patron to thieves. *Peryite is the daedric prince of tasks, order and pestilence. He is considered one of the weakest of the princes, despite being depicted as a dragon. *Sanguine is the daedric prince of hedonism, debauchery and dark indulgences. He is more likely than most princes to take an interest in mortal affairs. *Sheogorath is the daedric prince of madness. He is utterly unpredictable, and may hinder or help any mortal unlucky enough to cross his path. *Vaermina is the daedric prince of dreams, nightmares and evil omens. Creature messages *Many species of bear roam Skyrim's wilds. They are fearsome creatures, but will often avoid attacking unless provoked. *The wilds of Skyrim are teeming with deer. They are docile creatures, but serve as food for much of the province's more savage beasts. *Most of the dogs in Skyrim are domesticated, and serve as faithful companions to their Nord masters. *The cow is one of Skyrim's most common domestic animals. It provides the native Nords with meat, milk, and furs. *Skyrim's Horkers are often hunted for their tusks and meat. *The horses of Skyrim are hardy and strong, and make up for in endurance what they lack in speed. *Horses and horse-drawn carriages are common means of transportation in Skyrim. Both can handle the harsh terrain with ease. *Most Nords of Skyrim assumed the dragons were only a legend. Until now. *Once, the dragons sought to eliminate or enslave all mortal races. If given the chance, they would surely do so again.. *In days of old, when dragons ruled the earth, there lived mortal men who worshipped the beasts as gods. These Dragon Priests are long since dead... but something has awoken them from their ancient slumber. *While all dragons are fearsome, some are more powerful than others. Brown and green-skinned dragons are generally weaker than their white or bronze-skinned cousins. *Woe to the unwary explorer who delves deep into the burial crypts of the ancient Nords, and disturbs the Draugr that dwell within. *No one is quite sure why the Draugr walk the halls of Skyrim's burial crypts, but some believe they once served the dragons ages ago... and have been cursed with undeath for their treachery. *The Falmer are twisted, evil creatures that dwell in Skyrim's deepest reaches. They have but one desire - to destroy the surface world, and any who dwell above. *Years of living underground have rendered the Falmer blind, but their other senses have become more acute as a result. *Those venturing in Skyrim's deepest underground reaches should be wary of the Chaurus, a giant insect that spits poison and bites with its razor-sharp mandibles. *The Frostbite Spider is one of Skyrim's most fearsome and loathed native creatures. It will attack anyone relentlessly with both poison and fangs, and is as deadly as the affliction for which it was named. *Few creatures match the cunning, depravity and repulsiveness of the Hagravens. A terrible conjoining of woman and bird, they will take through savagery what they cannot win through guile. *While Hagravens can be deadly with their claws in close combat, they can prove equally challenging at a distance, when casting Destruction spells. *Mammoths are a common sight in the tundra of Skyrim, and are often herded by the Giants that also call that region home. They are generally peaceful creatures, unless provoked. *The common Mudcrab can be found by the northern shoreline or along the banks of any lakes or rivers. When not moving, it is easy to mistake for a rock, and uses this natural camouflage to ambush unwary prey. *The Sabre Cat of Skyrim is a giant, ferocious predator, and will often ambush travelers who stray too far from the roads, and into the wilds. *Giants are generally peaceful creatures, so long as potential threats keep their distance... and leave their mammoths unharmed. *Skeevers are large, rat-like creatures that make their nests in caves, sewers, and underground warrens. While easy to kill, they can be a challenge in groups, and carry debilitating diseases. *In some of Skyrim's darkest recesses, where the living fear to tread, the bones of the dead still walk. These Skeletons feel no pain or remorse... and deserve no mercy. *Many of Skyrim's waterways are home to Slaughterfish, whose razor-sharp teeth have claimed the lives of many careless swimmers. *Little is known of the mysterious Spriggans, save that they revere Skyrim's forested regions, and will defend these regions with their lives. *The frost troll is the most fearsome of its kind found in Skyrim, and is at home in the province's most frozen regions. *Trolls regenerate health when wounded, but are susceptible to fire. *Trolls can be found in any region throughout Skyrim, both deep underground or wandering the wilds. *The wolves of Skyrim are feral, savage beasts, and hunt in packs to take down any prey available... be it animal or man. *When a Chaurus reaches the end of its life, its body undergoes a dramatic transformation. After days of deathlike stillness, the Chaurus Hunter bursts free from the husk of the Chaurus.† *Gargoyles are magical creatures that can form a stony skin when stationary, making it easy to mistake them for a statue. Their claws are able to absorb health from their victims.† *Death Hounds are used as guardians by vampires. How they came to be is unknown, but their bite is as cold as the grave.† *Revered and legendary dragons are more deadly than ancient dragons. They use a shout that can drain health, magicka and stamina from its victims.† *The Dawnguard has armored battle trolls that they use when fighting vampires.† Vampire messages *As a Vampire Lord, the inventory button will bring up the Vampire Lord perk tree. Perks are earned by killing enemies with the Drain Life spell, or with the bite attack in melee mode.† *The Vampire Lord uses melee attacks when he is walking and magic attacks when he is floating. Use the sneak button to switch from one to the other.† *Vampire Lords start with a powerful Drain Life spell in their right hand, a Reanimate Corpse spell in their left hand. The power button transforms him into a cloud of bats that reforms in the distance.† *Vampire Lord perks are earned by killing enemies with the Drain Life spell, or with the bite attack in melee mode. Each perk takes more feedings to earn than the previous one.† *Each day spent as a vampire without feeding increases your powers. Sunlight reduces, or even eliminates your ability to regenerate health, magicka or stamina. Feed on a sleeping victim, or someone under your seduction spell to reduce sun damage.† *There are always human cattle in Castle Volkihar that any vampire can feed on. Feeding reduces sun damage, but also weakens your vampiric powers.† *A vampire that is using his Vampire's Seduction power can feed on any person that is not in combat, even if they are awake. Feeding reduces sun damage, but also reduces your vampiric powers.† *As a vampire, people may comment on your unusual appearance, but they don't ever attack you or shun you like they do the werewolf.† Werewolf messages *Those with the blood of a werewolf can never gain resting bonuses from sleeping. *There are those who believe that when night descends upon Skyrim, werewolves descend upon the unwary... *Werewolf perks are earned by eating fresh corpses. Nothing is gained by eating the bodies of the undead. Each perk takes more feedings to earn than the previous one.† *As a werewolf, the inventory button will bring up the werewolf perk tree. Perks are earned by eating corpses.† Dwarven messages *Many Steam Animunculi remain active, making the exploration of dwarven ruins a dangerous prospect. *The dwarves were actually a race of elves known as the Dwemer, which roughly translates to "deep elves." *"But our brethren, the Dwemer, scorned the Daedra, and mocked our foolish rituals, and preferred instead their gods of Reason and Logic." - Vivec *Dwarven ruins are dangerous to explore because of devious traps and hazardous machinery, to say nothing of the denizens that may dwell within... *What the Dwarven Sphere lacks in strength it makes up for in speed and mobility, as it patrols the halls of the Dwemer ruins it still protects. *Of all the automatons left behind by the ancient Dwemer, the Dwarven Centurions are among the most technologically impressive... and deadly. They guard Dwemer ruins as if their masters still walked the halls. *The ancient and long-dead Dwemer built many devices and automatons that continue to function even today, thanks to their advanced magic and technology. The Dwarven Spider is one such construct. Faction messages *The College of Winterhold is an independent organization, and thus was not affected by the dissolution of the Mages Guild at the beginning of the Fourth Era. *Once a source of pride for the people of Winterhold, the College is now shunned and feared. *Most of Winterhold was lost to the sea in the Great Collapse of 4E 122, but the College was left mysteriously unharmed. *While the mages of the College of Winterhold gladly share knowledge amongst themselves, they do not offer most services to the rest of Skyrim. *The Companions trace their legacy back to the original Five Hundred Companions of Ysgramor, who led the first humans to Skyrim and eventually settled all of Tamriel. *Among the Companions' most treasured artifacts are the fragments of Wuuthrad, the axe that Ysgramor himself wielded when leading the Five Hundred. *Kodlak Whitemane is the Harbinger of the Companions. He does not give orders, but his word is highly respected both inside Jorrvaskr and through all the nine Holds. *The Circle is a small group of the most trusted and accomplished warriors from among the ranks of the Companions. *Nobody knows who built the Skyforge, where the Companions' weapons are made. Its discovery led to the building of Jorrvaskr and the Companions as we know them today. *Those interested in learning more about magic may consider joining the College of Winterhold. *Tamriel's Fighters Guild has no presence in Skyrim. Instead, warriors seeking adventure and kinship may join the Companions, in Whiterun. *The Thieves Guild has a strong presence in the city of Riften, and has been known to recruit those gifted in the art of stealth. *It is said that the only way to join the Dark Brotherhood is to be contacted directly, and the shadowy group of assassins is very selective in its recruiting... *The Sanctuary in Skyrim's Pine Forest is the Dark Brotherhood's last remaining refuge in all of Tamriel. *The Dark Brotherhood was once bound by a set of rules called the Five Tenets, but they have long since been abandoned. *Astrid is the leader of the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, and her word is law. *The Dark Brotherhood was once greatly feared and respected, but the organization is now but a shadow of its former self. *Mortals often represent Sithis as a skeletal being, to signify His relationship to death. In truth, the Dread Lord is formless, and infinite as the Void. *A Dark Brotherhood assassin practices the art of murder, and must be willing to pay for that crime... with gold, a jail sentence, or even more bloodshed. *Those wishing to contact the Dark Brotherhood for an assassination must perform the Black Sacrament, an ancient and taboo ritual. *The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary in Dawnstar is now an ancient ruin, its ominous Black Door feared and avoided by the city's residents. *It is said that rumors of the Dark Brotherhood's demise may have been premature, as members of the shadowy organization have been sighted near Dawnstar... *So long as there is a Listener to hear the Night Mother's voice, the Dark Brotherhood will endure... Standing Stone messages *You can only have one Standing Stone active at a time. If you accept the bonus from a new one, it replaces any bonuses from the previously used Stone. *The Apprentice Stone ability doubles your Magicka and regeneration speed, but makes you twice as susceptible to spells. *The Atronach Stone ability allows you to absorb some Magicka from enemies' spells and gives you extra Magicka, but it slows your Magicka regeneration. *The Lover Stone ability lets you learn all skills a little faster, but not as much as the Thief, Warrior or Mage Stones. *The Mage Stone ability lets you learn magic skills more quickly. *The Ritual Stone power lets you temporarily resurrect nearby corpses to fight for you, once a day. *The Serpent Stone power lets you paralyze and poison a target once a day. *The Shadow Stone power lets you become invisible once a day. *The Steed Stone ability lets you carry more, and not be slowed down by your armor. *The Thief Stone ability lets you learn stealth skills more quickly. *The Warrior Stone ability lets you learn combat skills more quickly. *The power from the Lady Stone lets you regenerate Health and Stamina much faster for a while. Racial power messages *Argonians can breathe underwater and are 50% resistant to diseases. Their Histskin power allows them to regenerate health quickly, for a short time. *Breton blood grants a 50% resistance to magic. Bretons can use Dragonskin to absorb magicka from hostile spells, for a short time. *Dark Elf blood grants 50% resistance to fire. They can use Ancestor's Wrath to cloak themselves in fire, for a short time. *High elves are born with extra Magicka. They can use Highborn to regenerate Magicka quickly, for a short time. *Imperials are natives of Cyrodiil, the cosmopolitan heartland of the Empire. Once a day, they can use the Voice of the Emperor ability to calm an angry opponent for a short while. *Khajiit have deadly claws that can be used in unarmed combat. They can use Night Eye to see better in the dark. *Nords are 50% resistant to cold damage. They can use Battle Cry to make their enemies flee, for a short time. *Orcs can use Berserk to do double damage while only taking half damage, for a short time. *Redguards are 50% resistant to poison. They can use Adrenaline Rush to regenerate Stamina quickly, for a short time. *Wood elves are 50% resistant to disease and poison. They can use Command Animal to make an animal their ally, for a short time. City messages Dawnstar *Dawnstar is the capital of the Pale, known for its rich mines and harbor. *The Tower of Dawn sits on a mountain overlooking Dawnstar. It is rumored to be cursed. Falkreath *Falkreath has been the site of many battles throughout history. The town's graveyard holds the remains of many Nord warriors who fell in those battles. *The Jarl of Falkreath is Siddgeir. Among the youngest of the Jarls in Skyrim, Siddgeir took the place of the former Jarl, his uncle Dengeir. *Like many of Skyrim's woodland settlements, Falkreath's economy is heavily reliant on the production of lumber. *Playing upon the historical significance of their town's graveyard, the merchants of Falkreath have adopted names for their businesses that reflect themes of death and mortality. Markarth *Markarth is built on the foundations of an ancient dwarven city. *The Nords first conquered Markarth from the native people of the Reach thousands of years ago. *The poor in Markarth live in the Warrens, and are almost exclusively natives of the Reach. *A native uprising in Markarth was put down 20 years ago. The survivors are known as the Forsworn. *"Nothing changes in the city of stone...." - Amanda Alleia, A Sellsword's Guide to Markarth. *"Blood and silver are what flows through Markarth...." - popular saying. Morthal *Morthal is said to be named after the great Nord hero Morihaus, though none alive today are sure of the connection. *Morthal's small population and relatively remote location have kept it distant from most major conflicts in recent years. Riften *The Black-Briars of Riften are one of the most influential and well-connected clans in Skyrim. *The canal that spans the length of Riften was once a major thoroughfare for merchants and fishermen, but it now sits neglected and stagnant. *Riften has earned quite a sinister reputation, mainly due to the Thieves Guild's presence in the sewers beneath the streets. *Riften is home to the Black-Briar Meadery, one of the largest and most successful businesses of its kind. Solitude *Solitude is the center of Imperial power in Skyrim. It is also home to the famous Bards College. *General Tullius commands the Imperial army from the stone-walled Castle Dour, while Solitude's Jarl, Elisif, resides in the Blue Palace. *Solitude is a major shipping port and important Imperial supply line. *Solitude sits on a natural arch, giving its port much needed shelter from the strong winds of the Ghost Sea. *Solitude has traditionally had strong ties to the Empire, and many of the city's Jarls were connected to the Septim bloodline. *"I am the Queen of Solitude, daughter of the Emperor! Summon the daedra! I'll trade the soul of every last subject of mine for a little comfort." - Queen Potema, 3E 97 *Pelagius III, sometimes called Pelagius the Mad, was proclaimed Emperor in the 145th year of the Third Era." - Stronach k'Thojj III, Brief History of the Empire Vol. II *Most of the shipping in Solitude is run by the Imperial-financed East Empire Company. Whiterun *Whiterun's central location in Skyrim has made it a trading hub of the entire province. *The Plains District of Whiterun is home to the city's shops and market, while the Wind District is mostly residential. The Jarl's palace, Dragonsreach, dominates the Cloud District. *Dragonsreach earned its name when the ancient Nord hero Olaf One-Eye imprisoned his foe, the great dragon Numinex, within the palace. *The large tree in Whiterun's Wind District is called the Gildergreen, and is considered sacred by worshippers of Kynareth. *Whiterun was built up around the mead hall Jorrvaskr, home of the legendary Companions warrior guild. Windhelm *Windhelm is the oldest city in Skyrim and may be the oldest human city on the continent. *The Jarl of Windhelm, Ulfric Stormcloak, claims to be the High King of Skyrim, and is leading the rebellion against the Empire. *A recent string of murders has many Windhelm residents fearing for their lives... *Windhelm's Snow Quarter has been renamed the "Gray Quarter," in reference to the dark elves who have made that district their home. *Although much of Skyrim is cold and unforgiving, Windhelm is the snowiest city in the province. Winterhold *Once the capital of Skyrim, Winterhold has been all but abandoned in the last few hundred years. *Winterhold's large population of dark elves was driven out by Nords convinced they were involved in evil magic. Gameplay messages Combat *A successful power attack will always break an opponent's block, and cause a stagger. *A successful power attack has a chance to stagger an opponent who is not blocking. *Wearing heavy armor or using heavy weapons will slow you down. *You move more slowly with your weapon drawn. *To get the maximum range and damage with a bow, hold down Attack until the bow is fully drawn. *Bashing with a shield will stagger an opponent. If timed properly, it will also interrupt a power attack. *Blocking with a shield or weapon will recoil an attack, and stagger the attacker. *Attacks can be blocked with either a shield or a weapon, but shields are much more effective. *Potions that restore Stamina or Magicka should be used during combat, to increase the number of available spells and power attacks. *Moving while holding down Attack results in a power attack. Moving in different directions creates different power attacks. *A power attack against an opponent who is blocking will break through the block, without staggering the attacker. *A power attack might stagger an opponent, preventing him from immediately counteracting. *Any attacks done while both sneaking and undetected will do extra damage. *Power attacks use Stamina. If the Stamina bar is flashing, any attempted power attack becomes a regular attack instead. *A readied arrow will be put back into its quiver if the bow is sheathed. *Swords swing faster than axes, and axes swing faster than maces. *A greatsword swings faster than a battleaxe, and a battleaxe swings faster than a warhammer. *Two-Handed weapons do more damage than one-handed weapons, but don't block as effectively. *Heavy Armor absorbs more damage, but it also weighs more than Light Armor. *Magic weapons lose power with each successful hit, but can be recharged with filled soul gems. *Any poison applied to an equipped weapon will be used on the next hit. *Successfully bashing with either a shield or weapon will always stagger an opponent. *Combat difficulty can be modified at any time - even in the middle of battle - in the Gameplay section of the Settings screen. *Dual wielding potentially doubles melee damage output... but prevents any kind of blocking. *Any inventory item marked with a small arrow indicates it is probably more effective than what you currently have equipped. *The crossbows used by the Dawnguard fire a deadly first shot. However, they are slow to reload.† *Arrows and crossbow bolts can be created at smithing forges.† Skills *Skills improve with use: Weapon skills improve when you hit opponents. The Sneak skill improves when you successfully sneak. Spell skills improve when you cast spells. *Combat-based magic only improves when used against valid opponents. *The Alchemy skill determines the creation and potency of potions and poisons. *Eat an ingredient to learn its properties and slightly raise the Alchemy skill. *The School of Alteration focuses on the manipulation of the physical world, and is used to cast spells like Waterbreathing, Magical Armor and Magelight. *The Archery skill improves the use of bows and arrows. The greater the skill, the more deadly the shot. *The Block skill reduces the damage and stagger from physical attacks when blocking with either a shield or weapon. *The School of Conjuration is used to raise the dead, summon creatures from one of the planes of Oblivion, and soul trap opponents killed in combat. *The School of Destruction focuses on the mastery of fire, frost and shock, and is used to cast spells like Fireball, Ice Spike, and Lightning Bolt. *The higher the Enchanting skill, the stronger the magic that can be bound to weapons and armor. *Those trained to use Heavy Armor make more effective use of Iron, Steel, Dwarven, Orcish, Ebony, and Daedric armors. *The School of Illusion focuses on the manipulation of an enemy's mind, and is used to cast spells like Fear, Charm and Invisibility. *The Light Armor skill allows for more effective use of Hide, Leather, Elven, and Glass armors. *The Lockpicking skill is used to open locked doors and containers faster and with fewer broken lockpicks. *The One-Handed skill improves the use of weapons such as daggers, swords, maces and war axes. *The Pickpocket skill is used to take things from an unsuspecting target's pockets... and not get caught in the process. *The School of Restoration focuses on the mastery over life forces, and is used to cast spells like Healing, Turn Undead, and Lesser Ward. *The Smithing skill is used to create weapons and armor from raw materials, or improve existing non-magical weapons and armor. *The Sneak skill makes it more difficult to be detected, which in turn allows for deadly stealth attacks. *The Speech skill is used to get better prices from merchants and persuade, intimidate, or even bribe others. *The Two-Handed skill dictates the effectiveness of greatswords, battleaxes, and warhammers. Crime *An excessively high bounty will cause a Hold Guard to attack the wanted person on sight. *Each Hold tracks its crime separately. A wanted criminal in Whiterun might have no bounty in Solitude, and so on. *Serving jail time causes some skills to lose their accumulated progress to the next value. The longer the sentence, the more skills that are affected. *A guard may stop combat if his attacker sheathes any weapons. But even if the yield is accepted, the guard will still attempt an arrest. *Pick someone's pocket by activating them while sneaking. Looking at their inventory is harmless - taking anything is a crime. Crafting *Alchemy labs can be used to combine ingredients into useful potions and deadly poisons. *Arcane Enchanters are worktables used by mages to enchant weapons and armor. *An Arcane Enchanter can be used to learn new enchantments from weapons and armor, but any item experimented on is destroyed in the process. *Look for Forges and Grindstones in the world. You can use them to make new weapons and armor, and improve what you already have. *Weapons can be improved at a Grindstone. Armor can be improved at a Blacksmith's Table. *Any weapon or piece of armor can be improved at a smithy, regardless of the material type or the smith's skill or perks. Smithing perks increase how much the item is improved. *You can make Dragonbone weapons at a forge that are more deadly than daedric weapons, but weigh more. Magic *Magicka is the energy used to power spells. The higher the magicka, the more spells that can be cast. *All currently active magic effects, including diseases and armor enchantments, are shown in the Magic inventory, under "Active Effects." *The Mage Armor perks make defensive spells more effective for anyone wearing clothes instead of armor. *Cloak spells surround the caster with a dangerous aura that harms anyone that gets too close. *Enemies are displayed onscreen differently than friends when you cast Detect Life or Detect Dead. *Fire burns for a while after the target is hit, doing extra damage, and is useful against all types of opponents. *In addition to doing regular damage, Frost attacks deplete the target's Stamina, and slow them down. Use them to prevent enemies from doing as many power attacks. *Rune spells create magical traps, but only on surfaces close to the caster. *In addition to doing regular damage, Shock spells also deplete the target's Magicka. They're particularly useful against wizards. *Cast Soul Trap on an enemy during combat, and his soul will be captured in one of your empty soul gems, when he dies. *A Magic Wall spell creates a barrier that hurts anything that moves through it. *A magical Ward protects the caster from offensive spells, but takes a few seconds to charge up to full power. *The charge level of a staff is based on the corresponding skill of the mage wielding it. For example, a wizard with a high Destruction skill would get a lot of uses from a staff of Fireball. *When you obtain a spell book, you need to read it to learn the spell, which destroys the book in the process. *Spellbooks can be purchased from the court wizard in the Jarl's palace. *Cancel a charged spell by "sheathing" or lowering your hands. *The Magicka cost to cast a spell goes down as your skill increases and you pick relevant perks. *When casting spells, wait for the spell to be ready before releasing the control. The spell is cast when you release. Shouts *After you use a Shout power, the compass outline will glow brightly. It fades from the center, indicating the time until you can Shout again. *The longer you hold down the Powers button, the more powerful your Shout. *You can learn up to three words for a Shout. Each word adds to the power of the Shout. General *Leveling up grants a bonus to your choice of Health, Magicka, or Stamina. Choosing Stamina also increases your carrying capacity. *Each time you level up, you may pick a perk. You can save your perk choice for later if you don't quite meet the requirements of the perk you want. *Sleeping in a bed applies the Rested bonus. Sleeping in a bed you own applies the Well Rested bonus. *If you have an enchanted weapon equipped, its current enchantment level is shown above your Stamina bar or Magicka bar. *Stamina is used to sprint and execute power attacks. Sprinting in Heavy Armor uses more stamina than sprinting in Light Armor or clothing. *When your Magicka or Stamina bar flashes, it means you cannot perform the action you just attempted. Power attacks become regular attacks, and spells fail. *Soul gems with souls in them are used to create and recharge magic weapons and armor. *Tougher creatures have larger souls, which need larger soul gems to hold them. Larger souls make better enchantments and recharge weapons more completely. *When you get a new quest, it will not become active unless you have no other active quests. Check your journal to see which quests are active. *If you have too many quest targets, check your journal to see if you have more than one active quest. In the Miscellaneous category, you can turn each objective on or off. *Shrines in the city temples will heal any disease, and confer a blessing. Accepting the blessing of one shrine will remove the blessings of any others. *Any map locations that have been discovered and visited can be fast traveled to, from any area outdoors. *Become friends with someone, and they may allow you to take certain items from their home. *Once you've helped someone, they will like you. Some people may even be willing to follow you and carry out your orders. *Most friends and hirelings that are following you can be ordered to interact with the world. They can unlock doors, pick up objects, go to specific locations, or attack enemies. *When sneaking, if the eye is partially open, someone is searching for you. If it is fully open, they have found you. *Several factors determine whether you'll remain undetected while sneaking, including: enemies' line of sight, the weight of worn armor, speed of movement, and the Sneak skill itself. *Most shops are open from about 8am to 8pm. If a shop is closed, wait until morning... or pick the lock and break in. *Inns are a great place to pick up rumors. The innkeeper can usually point you to local quests *Items can be stored safely in any containers in your own home. But items kept in any other containers may not be there later when you go to retrieve them... † Only available with . Bugs *Despite saying that initiating a new quest while already having an active quest will not also mark the initiated one as active, it may mark it as active making two active quests anyways. * The game may not properly load a certain cell, causing an infinite loading screen. Quitting the game or turning off the system/console seems to be the only solution to this issue. * Loading screens may be improperly loaded and will flicker when rotated and zoomed. * Sometimes, the model won't appear, though the text is still there. This does not affect loading, however.